Cost of Living Comparison Between Foster City, CA and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Foster City, CA and Chicago, IL

🙂 Solo nomad: Foster City, CA is 10.4% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 34.6% more expensive with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Foster City, CA is 1.6% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 23.8% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.05 $15.05

$20.82 $20.82

-27.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 $69.5

$100 $100

-30.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.1 $11.1

$11.97 $11.97

-7.27%

Cappuccino

$4.94 $4.94

$5.56 $5.56

-11.15%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.11 $3.11

7.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.5 $2.5

$2.42 $2.42

3.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.2 $9.2

$6.86 $6.86

34.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.89 $10.89

$8.45 $8.45

28.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.04 $1.04

0.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.33 $3.33

$4.15 $4.15

-19.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$5.52 $5.52

-59.42%

Eggs

$3.06 $3.06

$4.65 $4.65

-34.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 $16.24

$14.33 $14.33

13.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.23 $11.23

$14.88 $14.88

-24.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.13 $20.13

$19.34 $19.34

4.08%

Apples (1kg)

$6.21 $6.21

$5.17 $5.17

20.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.71 $1.71

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$4.41 $4.41

7.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$4.51 $4.51

-27.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.53 $2.53

32.02%

Onion (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.74 $2.74

59.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.43 $2.43

24.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.7 $2.7

-45.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.38 $11.38

$15.19 $15.19

-25.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.99 $11.99

$16.42 $16.42

-26.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.35 $2.35

-0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.7 $3.7

-10.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.64 $3.64

$2.53 $2.53

43.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$191 $191

$74.1 $74.1

157.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$3.34 $3.34

5.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.42 $1.42

30.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.16 $30.16

$25.42 $25.42

18.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.08 $1.08

18.52%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.9K $29.9K

$32.4K $32.4K

-7.76%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.06%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$270 $270

$188 $188

43.21%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$49.14 $49.14

$63.7 $63.7

-22.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 $68.9

$65.2 $65.2

5.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.62 $42.62

$76.7 $76.7

-44.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.03 $13.03

Cinema Ticket

$15.35 $15.35

$14.93 $14.93

2.81%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,978 $1,978

$2,063 $2,063

-4.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.4K $26.4K

$39.2K $39.2K

-32.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.18 $46.18

$64.3 $64.3

-28.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.75 $29.75

$52.4 $52.4

-43.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 $65.7

$95.2 $95.2

-31.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.86 $49.86

$145 $145

-65.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,056 $3,056

$2,378 $2,378

28.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,558 $2,558

$1,584 $1,584

61.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,515 $4,515

$4,763 $4,763

-5.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,522 $4,522

$2,815 $2,815

60.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K $10.8K

$3,588 $3,588

200.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,784 $9,784

$2,490 $2,490

292.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,087 $7,087

$5,275 $5,275

34.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.6

-1.36%

Citycost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Foster City, CA: October 27, 2025

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

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